Elevating device.



L. 1. EVA-Nys. ELEVATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY4, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

mhh/nemen mi MMM coLuMBm PLANDGRAPH CoA. WASHINGTON. D. c.

L. J. EVANS..

ELEVATNG DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1914.4

l l 50,752.. Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jay.

Macaw Y @www -ZMQDM@ Lewis; evans, or sonAN'roN, PENNSYLVANIA.

, ELEVAGE-ING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug.17, 12H5.

Application filed Nave, 191:4. Serial No. 836,318.

Y To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lnwrs J. EVANS, citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new 1,and useful linprovementsin Elevating Devices, of which the following isa specification.

rEhe present ,invention relates ,to elevating devices, and pertains `more particularly t0 such a one as is adapted to vbe used in conjunction with Va heater or'furnace to facilitate removing and replacing `the ash cans which arenormally located beneath the floor of the furnace roo/m in a wellor vpit directly under the lire boxoftheheater.

One object lof the present invention lis wto provide an elevating device `for ash cans which canbe -contained ,and operated within a com paratively small pit formed below the furnace y iioor and in proximity to the heater.

A @further objectief the inventioncqnsists in providing` an elevating device for ash cans of the class above described which a movable platform Vis normallymaintained within the 'lower part ofthe pit and inha .position such that thecan resting upon it will be directly Vunder the heater, and also to provdemeansby whchfthis.platform may be first .swung eutvardly fram the ,preiectins edge ofthe Vheateiuand then Ielevated to the surface of the furnace floor, during all of which operations the'platform will be maintained Vin a horizontal position.

The invention Vfurther contemplates pro viding a single, rigid shaft 'located within thepit Vor well, upon which the 'platform moved up anddown, and operating means suitably connected with this shaft adapted to be hinged in suchmanner as to extend at an angleeut ofthe well when the device is being operated, and to be .folded within the well whenthe device is not in use. As disclosed 'in ,my prior :Letters VPatent #1,077,691, granted to me 'November 4, 1913, a hinged coveris Aprovided for the well or pit adapted, when .the wdeviceis not in use, to close flush 4withthe surfaceof the cellar' floor.

A ycollapsible chute `for 'discharging the ashes from the fire-'box of the furnace into the can when the latter is in its'lowermost position .is provided similar to 'that disclosed in my copending application Serial Number Wfl-,676.

With these and other objects in viewdthe L invention consists in the novel features of F ig. L is a detail plan view of the movable platform; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the lower shaft bearing.

Referring `to the drawings, the pit 1 is formed belowlthe level 2 of the furnace floor off a depth sufficiently greater than the height of the ash can, and is shaped at its ends with semifcireular walls conforming to theiouter shape of the cans.

The fire boXofthe furnace is shown at 3, projectingslightly over the rear edge of the well Qripi't'l.

`Around theupperperimeter of the well a frame 'lllis constructed of bars of angle iron, one edge of which is countersunk flush with the cenerete floor 2, while the other edge at Yright angles thereto extends within the walls oftheypit or well,-for1`ning an inner lining around its upperedge.

In order to formas compact a structure as fpossible, the pit is made of the design illustrated in Fig. `1, and its length from front tobackis less than twicethe diameter ofthe ashican.

A vertical shaft 5 is supported by a bracket -G secured to `the metal 'framework at the upper edge of the pit, and at a point approximately midway of its length. At its lower end this shaft is supported in a metal socket 7X sunk in the concrete of the lower wall of the pit. The shaft 5 is provided with a screw thread. The ycan-receiving platform 7 is circularin shape, and is provided on its under side with a reinforcing web piece '8, having formed at its outer edgea projecting bracket sleeve 9 which is internally screw-threaded, and through whiehlthe shaft/5 passes. The lower edge of thebracket 9 rests, whenlthe platform is in its ilowest position, on a collar 25 rigidly secured tothe shaft 5. Thusa gripping action is provided so as to insure the turning ofthe platform and shaft together when the former is swung under or out fromthe edge of the furnace'.

An operating shaft 10 provided with a handle 11 is connected with the upper end of the shaft 5 by means of a universal joint connection 12.

A pair of lugs or fingers 13 is formed in the upper edge of the frame 4, and serve as guide means for the shaft 10 when it is in its operating position, and extends from *out the well or pit.

A small semi-circular guard plate 13 is Y pivotally secured to one of the lugs 13 and is adapted to be locked in position around the rod 10 by a pin 13b carried in a lug 13c and adapted to enter a slot or recess formed in its edge. By withdrawingthe pin the plate 13a may be swung about its pivot and the arm 10 folded over into the pit 1. y

A vertical double box shaft 14 is arranged at the front of the pit, being secured'by bolts to the upper framework, and having its lower end embedded in the concrete door.

A small anti-frictional roller 15 is'secured at the edge of the platform 7 at a point diametrically opposite the hinged bracket 9. This roller is adapted to contact with one side of the box shaft 14 to limit the outward swinging movement of the platform, and to travel within thebox shaft 14 as the platform is beingV elevated. This shaft is shorter on one side allowing the roller to pass under and come in contact with the Y opposite side. The metal lug 16 is also provided extending from the edge of .the cir-` cular platform 7, and is adapted to contact with the stop 17 suitably located near the lower part of the rear wall of the pit.

A collapsible chute 18 is formed in the upper permanent cover plate 19, which is fastened by means of bolts over the rear end of the pit. This chute is located directly beneath the fire box 3 of the furnace, and is l opened and closed by means of a chain 20 fastened to a button :21 extending through a plate 22 yin the cover portion 19. rIhe chute, when open, directs the ashes cleared from the lire box of the furnace into the can oarr ried on the platform. The hinged metal cover plate provided with a handle not shown, is secured to the frame 2 and is adapted, when closed, to lie flush with the furnace floor.

The operation of my device is as follows: Assuming the platform 7 to be in its lower position in the .rear part of the pit 1, directly under the projecting edge of the heater and carrying on it an empty ash can C, the can is filled with ashes falling through the collapsible chute 18, which is normally open. The chute is then closed by means of the chain 2O in order to prevent any further ashes from falling into the pit; the main cover 22 is opened, and the operating shaft 10 swung about its universal joint so that the handle 11 is in a position readily accessible to one standing in the furnace then locked V`in place by the pinV 13".

room beside the pit. The guard plate 13a is y Upon turningthe handle to the right the shaft 5 will berotated in a corresponding direction, which will cause the platform 7 to swing v forward until the roller 15 contacts with the side of the verticalbox shaftY 14, then upon continued turning of the handle the platform will rise, due to the threaded connection between the shaft 5 and the bracket sleeve 9.V When thecplatform has reached its highest position, the bracket sleeve 9 will contact with the bracket 6, and the platform will then be on a level with the surface of the furnace room floor so that the can can be removed readily and the ashes dumped. Theempty can is then placed on the platform and the handle turned to theleft, when Y the reverse of the operation just described will take place. The platform will be lowered by the shaftand then will be swung about the bracket sleeve 9 as a pivot into the rear portion of the pit until the lug 16 contacts with the stop 17, whereupon the empty can will be in position to receive the. ashes from the furnace.

A hook 24 is fastened by a chain at some convenient place en the furnace front and is hooked ontothe Vhandle 11 to hold same in locked position when the can and platform are elevated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a well or pit, a

horizontally disposed platform pivotally mounted in proximity with the bottom of said well, means operatively connected with said platform for swingingsame horizontally about its pivot and elevating it to the upper level of` the well, substantially as described.

2. Inr combination with `a well orlpit, aV

vertical shaft therein, va horizontally disposed platform pivotally connected to said shaft, operating means coupled to said shaft adapted to swing said platform horizontally about said shaft and to raise or lower it vertically along said shaft, substantially as described.

8. In combination with a well or pit, a V

rotatable vertical shaft supported therein, a horizontally disposed platform having pivotal connection with said shaft, operating means coupled with said shaft including a f can. a rotatable vertical shaft supported f within said well and having screw threaded connection with said platform,` means for rotating said shaft to swing said platform in a horizontal plane and to raise or lower the platform at Will, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a Well formed below and in proximity With a heater, a movable platform adapted to carry an ash can, a rotatable. vertical shaft supported Within said Well, a bracket arm formed on said platform and screvv threaded on said shaft, operating` means coupled with the upper end of said shaft for rotating same to swing said platform in a horizontal plane and to raise or lower it at will, substantially as described.

6. In combination With a Well formed below and in proximity with a heater, a movable platform therein adapted to carry an ash can and normally located directly beneath said heater at the bottom of said Well, means for swinging said platform in a horizontal plane from beneath said heater and means for elevating said platform to the upper level of said Well, comprising a vertical rotatable shaft Within said Well having screw threaded connection With said platform, and operating mechanism suitably coupled with the upper end of said shaft, substantially as described.

7. In combination With a Well formed below and in proximity with a heater, a movable platform therein adapted to carry an ash can, and normally located at the bottom of said Well in a position directly under said heater, means for swinging said platform in a horizontal plane from beneath said heater and means for elevating said platform to the upper level of said Well, comprising a vertical rotatable shaft Within said well having screw threaded connection with said platform and an operating' mechanism comprising a second shaft provided with a handle and coupled with the upper end of said shaft, said operating mechanism being adapted, when in use, to extend out of said Well at an angle and when the device is not in use to be folded Within said Well, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LEWIS J. EVANS.

Witnesses.:

MYRTLE CoNNoLLY, WVM. CHALLENGER.

Copies of this patent may be `obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

